Golf club length fitting system

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for prescribing overall club length for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player wherein the method comprises measuring the erect height (PH) of a player to be fitted, providing the player with a fitting ball club (FBC) having a spherical ball with a hosel bore therein, one end of a golf club shaft in the hosel bore and a golf club grip on the other end of the shaft, having the player hold the fitting ball club in address position as if about to hit a golf ball therewith, measuring the wrist-to-floor distance (WFM) vertically from the player&#39;s higher wrist to the floor, locating in the first two columns of the FIG.  4  table data corresponding to the PH and WFM measurements, respectively, for the player, deriving an incremental length LCC from the third, length control club column of FIG.  4,  and adding that incremental LCC length to 37½ inches, thereby giving a prescribed overall club length for that player.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This U.S. utility patent application claims the benefit of U.S.provisional patent application Serial No. 60/437,048, filed Dec. 31,2002, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention comprises a system and method for customfitting the length of iron-type golf clubs for a golfer.

[0003] Traditionally there have been four ways to fit golf club lengthfor a golfer. First, the golfer might simply accept an arbitrarystandard club length for his or her general physique. Second, the golfermight select a club length based on trial and error. Third, the golfermight follow the suggestion of an expert. And fourth, the golfer mightdetermine club length by a statistical method, such as referral tocharts, tables or other computations.

[0004] One such statistical method for determining club length providesa table showing correlation between a player's height and the player'swrist-to-floor measurement. However, such method has the disadvantage ofnot taking into consideration that golfers vary their posture, bothwhile addressing a ball and during the swing, often independently oftheir physical dimensions. As a result, in this system two people whoinitially exhibit the same measurements, may require different clublengths because one is crouched over the ball more, or has more tiltfrom the waist, than the other, i.e., their address and swing positionsare substantially different. Thus there is a need for more effectivesystems for determining the desired length of iron-type golf clubs foreach individual player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention comprises a fitting system for prescribingdesired length of iron-type golf clubs. This system utilizes a fittingball club and a fitting chart comprising data in columnar formscomprising Player Height (PH), Wrist-to-Floor Measurement (WFM), andLength of Control Club (LCC). PH is a tabular listing of a plurality ofpossible ranges of heights, while standing erect, of a golfer to befitted. WFM is a tabular listing of sets of possible WFMs, each setcorresponding to one of the PH ranges, wherein each set of WFMs is aplurality of possible distances between a predetermined point on a wristof a golfer and a point vertically beneath the wrist on a floor on whichthe golfer is standing while addressing a golf ball with the fittingball club. LCC is a tabular listing of sets of incremental measurements,each set comprising possible incremental LCC measurements to be combinedwith a standard length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Other advantages and further features of the present inventionare explained in conjunction with the following drawings illustratingthe present invention:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a partially schematic perspective view of a fitting ballclub according to the present invention;

[0008]FIGS. 2A and 2B are partially schematic views of a fitting ballaccording to the present invention;

[0009]FIGS. 3A and 3B are partially schematic views of another fittingball according to the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the fitting chart accordingto the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 5A is a schematic partial view of a golfer's hands grippingthe fitting ball club according to the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 5B is an arrangement alternative to FIG. 5A, showing agolfer's hands wearing gloves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a partially schematic perspective view of one embodimentof a fitting ball club 10, including a fitting ball club shaft 20 havinga fitting ball 30 attached thereto. Shaft 20 includes a grip 26. In apreferred embodiment, the total length L of the fitting ball club isabout 37 and ¼ inches.

[0014]FIG. 2A is a partially schematic view of a fitting ball 30including a ball portion 32 and a protruding hosel 34 for receiving ashaft end 24 of a fitting ball club shaft 20. The spherical shape of theball portion 32 has no distinct bottom surface that would act like thesole of a golf club. If such a sole-like bottom surface was present, thevisual and balance aspects of the ball 32 might influence the golfer'shand position on the fitting ball club shaft 20 during club lengthfitting.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2A, a hosel 34 is connected with ball portion32, and has a cylindrical bore 36 for receiving the end of a fittingball club shaft 20. A suitable adhesive can be used to fix the shaft inthe hosel 34.

[0016]FIG. 2B is another view of the fitting ball 30 of FIG. 2A, showinga chordal sector-like flat face 38 for positioning adjacent a golf ballby a golfer addressing a golf ball with such a fitting ball club 10during club length fitting. Flat face 38 is designed not to have anyloft like a golf club face, so that flat face 38 is not significantlyvisible to a golfer holding a fitting ball club while addressing a golfball during club length fitting.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a chart of fitting data in columns headed Player Height(PH), Wrist-to-Floor Measurement (WFM), and Length of Control Club(LCC).

[0018] In the Player Height (PH) column is a tabular listing of aplurality of possible ranges of heights, while standing erect, of agolfer to be fitted.

[0019] In the Wrist-to-Floor Measurement (WFM) column is a tabularlisting of sets of possible WFMs, each WFM set corresponding to one ofthe PH ranges, wherein each WFM set is a plurality of possible WFMdistances between a predetermined point PW on a wrist of such a golferand a point PF vertically beneath such wrist point PW on a floor onwhich a golfer is standing while addressing a golf ball with a fittingball club, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, described later herein.

[0020] In the Length of Control Club column is a tabular listing of setsof LCC incremental lengths, each LCC set comprising possible LCC lengthto be combined with the standard length L of the fitting ball club,wherein each possible LCC length correlates with a wrist to floormeasurement WFM.

[0021]FIG. 5A is a partially schematic view of a golfer's hands Hgripping a fitting ball club shaft 20 while addressing a golf ball (notshown). FIG. 5A shows the predetermined point PW at the wrist of thegolfer being fitted and the point PF vertically beneath the wrist pointPW on a floor F on which the golfer is standing while addressing a golfball with a fitting ball club. Point PW is at the back-of-had/wristjunction of a golfer. A tape measure T is shown for measuring thevertical WFM distance between points PW and PF.

[0022]FIG. 5B is an alternative view to that of FIG. 5A, showing agolfer's left hand wearing a glove G while gripping a fitting ball clubshaft 20. The predetermined wrist point PW is in this instance at theedge of the golf glove worn by the golfer.

[0023] Preferably, the length of the fitting ball club is not revealedto the golfer being fitted. Revealing the length could influence thegolfer to hold the fitting ball club for an imagined club length or clubnumber in a set of irons. For example, if the golfer thinks that he orshe is holding a number six iron, then the golfer might set up with aposture different than if the club length were unknown. Preferably thegolfer should be asked to simulate comfortable address position usedwith a mid-iron. No swinging is necessary.

[0024] The method according to the present invention for prescribing adesired club length for iron-type golf clubs for a specific golfercomprises obtaining PH and WFM measurement data from the golfer to befitted, identifying corresponding data in the PH and WFM columns of theFIG. 4 fitting chart, and deriving a recommended club length from theLCC data in the third column of the FIG. 4 table.

[0025] A simple calculation is made for determining a recommended shaftlength by adding the derived LCC increment to the standard length L of37{fraction (1/4)} inches. This results in a recommended overall clublength for a mid-iron among a set of iron-type golf clubs.

[0026] If the golfer prefers to emphasize distance, the calculated shaftlength may be increased by one-half inch. If the golfer prefers toemphasize accuracy of ball placement, the calculated shaft length may bedecreased by one-half inch.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fitting ball club for use in fitting a desiredlength for iron-type golf clubs for an individual player, said fittingball club comprising: a spherical ball having a hosel bore therein; agolf club shaft one end of which is in said hosel bore and connected tosaid spherical ball; and a golf club grip on the other end of saidshaft.
 2. The fitting ball club of claim 1, wherein the hosel boreextends from the exterior surface of the spherical ball into the centerportion of the spherical ball.
 3. The fitting ball club of claim 1,wherein the spherical ball additionally comprises a hosel portionextending substantially radially from the spherical ball and the hoselbore is in said extending hosel portion.
 4. The fitting ball club ofclaim 1, wherein a portion of the exterior surface of the spherical ballcomprises a chordal section-like flat face substantially parallel to theaxis of the hosel bore.
 5. The fitting ball club of claim 1 having anoverall length of about 37{fraction (1/2)} inches.
 6. A fitting systemkit for prescribing length for iron-type golf clubs for an individualplayer, comprising: a fitting ball club in accordance with claim 1, andthe data of FIG.
 4. 7. A method for prescribing overall club length foriron-type golf clubs for an individual player, said method comprising:measuring the erect height (PH) of a player to be fitted; providing theplayer with a fitting ball club (FBC) comprising: a spherical ballhaving a hosel bore therein, a golf club shaft one end of which is insaid hosel bore and connected to said spherical ball, and a golf clubgrip on the other end of said shaft; having the player hold the fittingball club in address position as if about to hit a golf ball therewith;measuring the wrist-to-floor measurement (WFM) vertically from theplayer's higher wrist to the floor therebelow; locating data in thefirst two columns of the table of FIG. 4, said data corresponding to thePH and WFM measurements, respectively, for the player; deriving anincremental length LCC from the third, length control club column ofFIG. 4, and adding that incremental LCC length to 37{fraction (1/2)}inches, thereby giving a prescribed overall club length for that player.8. The method of claim 7 additionally comprising increasing theprescribed overall club length by one-half inch for increasing ballflight distance.
 9. The method of claim 7 additionally comprisingdecreasing the prescribed overall club length by one-half inch forincreasing ball flight accuracy.